Observations/Realizations so far

• Sunday is the new Monday. (Weekends are Friday & Saturday.)

• Milk gallons (still available here, pew!) have rectangular bases, not square ones. Genius.
  
  
  
  
  

• Everything feels just a little bit sticky.

That's a Smartboard! Back to my roots

• I am one of three members of the secondary math department.

• The other member has been nicknamed "The Nutty Professor."

• Still no textbooks or curriculum map for any of my classes yet. School starts in 9 days. O_o

• Produce is sold by the kilogram (no wonder it all seemed so expensive)!

• There is no stopping the Arabic subtitles on the TV. I've tried all the things.

• Sounds like an ad, but my Venture credit card is my new favorite thing: ZERO fees for any purchases!

• I miss having adventure buddies around. Getting to know people takes time, ugh. :P

I miss this guy. SO MUCH!

• Malls aren't just for teenagers anymore - seriously! They are a main source of entertainment for everyone.

• Scuba is huge with expats. So glad I have the gear and the certification!

• Wifi isn't friends with brick walls/I need another router.

• Hang-dry seems to be the way of things.

• So much instant coffee everywhere. EEEEW.

• Take-out is super inexpensive. I got dinner for 3 dollars. THREE DOLLARS!

• My residence visa needs to be done soon, so I can get on with my life! (Car leasing, liquor license, phone contract, bank account, shipping address, etc all need it.)

Getting Situated - Discovery Gardens

Dubai - First Full Day

I was awake starting at about 4 AM today. Unfortunately, I got a giant migraine headache at about 5, so I was pretty miserable until 9 ish when the Tylenol kicked in. But, it was Tylenol PM, so I passed out until 4 PM. Ooops!

Once I was awake this afternoon, I walked to a grocery store in the humid 107F weather. HOT. Most things were easy to find, just a very different set of options than I'm used to! There is a whole aisle of bagged beans and rice varieties, many types I've never seen before. Found a beverage I'd loved in Samoa - Mirinda Orange soda - yum! When I'd finished buying everything, they asked if I wanted it delivered to my apartment. I tentatively wrote down my address, and left my groceries behind to get some take-out food before heading home.

Went to The Green Chillies restaurant (lots of good misspellings here), and ordered a Greek salad, some Chicken Korma curry and something called Vegetable Hakka. It took longer than I expected, but I was feeling antsy about the delivery (since I'd forgotten what my phone number was), so it may have been a normal wait. Got my food and walked the few minutes back home. Ate some food (the Hakka noodles were yummy), and about 15 minutes later, the shop boy came to my door with bags in hand. I could get used to this!!

Things I didn't find at this little grocery store:
Lettuce - A couple bunches of wilted spinach doesn't count.
Tampons - They only had pads. WHAT.
Chili - I know, it's pretty regional, but I love canned chili.
Popsicles - With the temps as they are, I'd expect there to be some!
Tortillas/chips - Again, regional to the Americas. Oh well!
Real cheese - Nearly all the cheese is processed icky stuff. YIKES.

That's pretty much my whole day. Gotta love jet lag! Tomorrow is my first day of "work," though it is just an orientation day at the school. Since the work-week here is Sunday-Thursday, I'll have Friday/Saturday to get more house supplies, and then more meetings all of next week. Whew!

Knitting Pattern: Thrummed Spiral Hat

Thrummed Spiral Hat:

Materials:
US size 6 - 16" circular needles
US size 6 dpns.
150-200 yds of worsted weight yarn (I used Patons Classic Wool Worsted.)
1-2 oz unspun roving (I used KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Roving.)
Tapestry needle (for weaving in ends)

Instructions:

CO 100 sts on 16" needles.

Work in K2P2 Ribbing for 5 inches (folded brim) or 2 inches (flat brim).

Follow the pattern below for the thrummed portion of the hat, about 5.5 inches, depending on your head size:
Rounds 1-3: knit all sts
Round 4: Thrum Rounds as listed below

Thrum rounds are worked in a k9, thrum 1 pattern that shifts around the hat by 3 stitches each time it is done.
Thrum Round 1: *k9, T1* repeat until the end of round.
Thrum Round 2: k2, T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 7 sts, k7.
Thrum Round 3: k5 T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 4 sts, k4.
Thrum Round 4: k8 T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 1 sts, k1.
Thrum Round 5: k1, T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 8 sts, k8.
Thrum Round 6: k4, T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 5 sts, k5.
Thrum Round 7: k7, T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 2 sts. k2.
Thrum Round 8: T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 9 sts, k9.
Thrum Round 9: k3, T1, *k9, T1* repeat until last 6 sts, k6.
Thrum Round 10: k6 T1, *k9 T1* repeat until last 3 sts, k3.
Thrum Round 11: Same as Round 1
Thrum Round 12: Same as Round 2
Etc.

This thrum pattern will form a spiral of thrums around the hat.
If you are unfamiliar with thrumming, this is a good tutorial for thrum making. I used a fairly small thrum each time, to keep the hat from becoming too poofy.

Decrease rounds:
Continue with the 4-round thrumming pattern, but introduce the following decrease pattern as you go. Switch to dpns as necessary.
Round 1: *ssk, k8* repeat (90 sts)
Round 2 - 12 (all even rounds) - either knit all or do the next thrum round
Round 3: *ssk, k7* repeat (80 sts)
Round 5: *ssk, k6* repeat (70 sts)
Round 7: *ssk, k5* repeat (60 sts)
Round 9: *ssk, k4* repeat (50 sts)
Round 11: *ssk, k3* repeat (40 sts)
Begin decreasing every round.
Round 13: *ssk, k2* repeat (30 sts)
Round 14: *ssk, k1* repeat (20 sts)
Round 15: *ssk* repeat (10 sts)

Break yarn and thread through remaining sts. Pull tight and weave in ends.

If you have any questions, please email, send me a message or leave a comment! Thanks!

Derby Gear 3: Fancy Pants Orange Style

In a crazy-awesome sport like Derby, people wear really great clothes, specifially on their butts! And me, with a name like Pantsdemonium, well I really need some fantastic derby pants (shorts, hot pants, knickers, etc). So here is my first successful pair! I used the Burda 7228 pattern for "Beach Coordinates" - and just made the bottoms without the belt.  The pattern size that fit my measurements looked huge, so I went down from 12 to 8. That was a good move, since even these are a bit looser than expected! Booty pics:

Derby Gear 2: Skate Noose/Leash

This was super easy! Couple of D rings, some strap material and some ribbon!  Boom. Awesome.

Derby Gear 1: Toe Guards

Now that I'm "Fresh Meat" as far as roller derby is concerned, I am in desperate need of gear! Many of these items are expensive and I am poor, so I am making the things that are sewable-type projects. My first success = toe guards!  These bad boys will keep the toes ofmy skates from getting too torn up. Wooo!

Thin-to-thick Seed Stitch Headband

This is my first ever published knitting pattern! I hope that someone gets some use from it. 

PATTERN:

CO 8 sts

Begin by knitting 10 rows of 1x1 ribbing: 

Rows 1-10: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row

Now begin the seed stitch pattern on the inner 2 stitches, while continuing the ribbing on the outer 6 stitches, for 4 rows total, as follows: 

Rows 1&3: k1 p1 k2 p2 k1 p1 

Rows 2&4: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row

From here, begin increasing one stitch every 5th row until there are 12 stitches total, continuing with the first and last 3 stitches in 1x1 ribbing, with the inner stitches in seed stitch. (Increase rows are bold.) 

Row 1: k1 p1 kfb k1 p2 k1 p1 (9 sts) 

Rows 2-5: k1 p1 k1 p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 

Row 6: k1 p1 kfb p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 (10 sts) 

Rows 7&9: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row 

Rows 8&10: k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 

Row 11: k1 p1 kfb p1 k1 repeat from to end of row (11 sts) 

Rows 12-15: k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 repeat from to end of row 

Row 16: k1 p1 kfb k1 p1 repeat from to end of row (12 sts)

Next, knit the rib/seed/rib pattern for 7 inches as follows, ending with a “Row 2”: 

Row 1: k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 

Row 2: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row

Now, decrease one stitch every 5th row until there are 8 stitches total. (Decrease rows are bold.) 

Row 1: k1 p1 k1 p2tog k1 p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 (11 sts) 

Rows 2-5: k1 p1 repeat from until 3 sts remain, p1 k1 p1 

Row 6: k1 p1 k1 k2tog p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 (10 sts) 

Rows 7&9: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row 

Rows 8&10: k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 p2 k1 p1 

Row 11: k1 p1 k1 k2tog p1 k1 p1 k1 p1 (9 sts) 

Rows 12-15: k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 p1 k1 p1 

Row 16: k1 p1 k1 p2tog k1 p1 k1 p1 (8 sts) 

Rows 17&19: k1 p1 k2 p2 k1 p1 

Rows 18&20: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row

Finally knit 10 rows in 1x1 ribbing, making a buttonhole in the center of the 6th row, then bind off: 

Rows 1-5 and 7-10: k1 p1 repeat from to end of row 

Row 6: k1 p1 k2tog yo k1 p1 k1 p1 

Row 11: BO 8 sts tightly

Finishing: Weave in ends, sewing an appropriately sized button to the CO end. Enjoy your headband!